Gas-engine



(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. CHARTER, Jr.

GAS ENGINE.

No. 573,762. Patented Dec.22, 1896.

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J. CHARTER, Jr.

- GAS ENGINE. No. 573,762. Patented Dec. 2-2; 1896..

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JQGHARTB JL GAS ENGINE.

No. 573,762. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CHARTER, JR., OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 573,762, dated December22, 1896.

Application filed May 11, 1896. Serial No. 591,121, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CHARTER, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Sterling, IVhiteside county, State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in GasEngines, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements ingas-engines, and it has for its objects to improve the construe tion ofsuch engines and to renderthe various parts thereof more certain andeffective in operation and less liable to become disarranged undervarying conditions; and with these objects in view the inventionconsists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of partshereinafter more particularly referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like letters and numerals of reference indicate correspondingparts, Figure l is a part sectional and part side elevation of theinvention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly in section. Fi g. 3 isan enlarged detail vertical sectional view of the mixing devices. Fig. 4is a horizontal sectional view thereof, and Fig. 5 is a sectional viewof a mixing device adapted for the use of heavy oils.

Any suitable frame may be employed to support the working parts of theengine, andthe cylinder may be arranged thereon in either a vertical orhorizontal position it being shown in the present instance ashorizontally arranged.

Adesignates the frame of the engine, B the cylinder, and O thecrank-shaft connected to the piston D within the cylinder by means of aconnecting-rod E. These parts are so constructed and arranged that inoperation the piston D on its forward stroke draws a combustible charge,preferably vaporized oil and air combined, into the combustion-chamber,where it is compressed upon the return or back stroke of the piston. Thecharge is then exploded, causing the piston to move forward and drivethe crank-shaft, and upon the next back stroke of the piston the spentgases remaining in the cylinder are expelled previous to a new chargebeing drawn into the cylinder.

Leading from the rear end of the cylinder is apassage 1, through whichthe charges pass into and the spent gases pass from the cylinder. Thispassage communicates with a valve-chamber 2, provided with inlet andexhaust ports 3 and 4, respectively, controlled by valves 5 6, whichvalves are held to their seats by means of springs. The inlet-valve isadapted to be opened by the suction created by the piston at eachforward stroke, and in order to prevent the simultaneous opening of theexhaust-valve 6 the tension of its spring 7 is stronger than that of theinlet-valve and too great to be overcome by the vacuum created in thecylinder. As it may sometimes be desirable to open this valvesimultaneously with the inlet-valve to admit an additional amount of airto the cylinder with the charge, means are provided for varying thetension of the spring 7. In the present instance this means consists ofa nut 8, adjustable upon the stem of the valve 6 and forming a bearingfor one end of the spring 7, and by adjusting this nut upon thevalvestem the tension of the spring may be lessened to permit theopening of the exhaustvalve upon the forward movement of the piston, orthe tension may be increased to prevent such opening of the valve.

It is essential that the exhaust-valve be opened at each alternate backstroke of the piston to allow the spent gases remaining in the cylinderafter an explosion to be discharged, and devices are provided forpositively effecting such opening of the valve. As shown, these devicescomprise a rod 9, guided on the frame and adapted to bear upon theexhaust-valve stem at one end and connected to a reciprocating lever 10at its other. This lever is preferably provided at its upper end with afriction-wheel, with which a cam 12, mounted upon an auxiliary shaft 1),makes contact, the roller being constantly maintained in contact withthe cam by the spring 7. Upon the shaft which carries the cam 12 is agear-wheel 13, meshing with a gear-wheel 14, of half its diameter, uponthe crank-shaft. From this it will be apparent that the cam makes onecomplete rotation to each two rotations of the crank-shaft.

The inlet-port 3 communicates with a mixing-chamber F, which in turncommunicates with a source of air-supply, and if desired the air may beheated or compressed, but not to an extent that will cause it to openthe inlet-valve 5. IVithin the mixing-chamber is a combining-receptacle15, to which the oil is conducted by means of a supply-pipe 16,

connected with a reservoir G, the oil being forced through thesupply-pipe by means of a pump 17. The piston-rod of the pump isattached to the cam 12 by means of a link 18, and in such manner as willoperate the pump by the rotation of the cam. The pipe 16 is connected toa return-pipe 16, leading to the reservoir, and is provided with aregulating-valve 19 and with a valve-seat for reception of a valve 20,which is normally held against said seat by means of a spring encirclinga valve-rod 21, one end of which constitutes the valve-stem. This rodextends through and is adapted to move in an opening in one end of acentrally-pivoted lever 22. This lever is adapted to be moved in adirection transverse to that in which the rod 21 moves to operate theinlet-valve through the medium of a flanged sleeve 23, sliding upon thecrank-shaft. A spring 2i holds a frictionroller of the lever 22 normallyin contact with the flange of the sleeve 23. Intermediate of its lengththe rod 21 is provided with a bearin g 25, with which a bearing 26 uponthe lever 10 normally makes contact at each backward stroke, such backstroke taking place at each alternate stroke of the piston, as hashereinbefore been mentioned. It will thus be seen that the valve 20 isopened to admit oil to the combining-receptacle while the piston is onits exhaust-stroke. It may sometimes be desirable to vary the length oftime which the valve 20 remains open, and to effect this the bearing 26is made longitudinally adjustable, as shown, and by shifting thebearings nearer to or farther from the other this result may beaccomplished, as will be obvious.

The sleeve 23 is automatically shifted upon the crank-shaft by means ofa suitable governor. That shown consists of two arms 27 pivoted upon thecrankshaft and carrying balls at their outer ends, which are connectedby a spring 28. The inner ends of the arms are provided with slots whichreceive pins from the sleeve From the above it will be apparent that aslong as the bearing 25 upon the rod 21 remains in the path of movementof the bearing 26 the rod will be moved longitudinally to open theinlet-valve 20 at each backward movement of the lever 10. \Vhenever theengine attains an excessive speed, however, the governor-balls arethrown ontward, spreading the arms 27 and causing the sleeve to slideupon the crank-shaft in a direction which will carry the lower end ofthe lever 22 inward, and through this lever the rod 21 is movedlaterally, carrying the bearing 25 out of the path of movement of thebearing 26 to prevent the opening of the inlet-valve, and this positionof the parts obtains until the speed of the engine decreases to normal,when the rod 21 is again shifted in order that the bearings may makecontact at the next movement of the lever 10.

The upper end of the combining-receptacle 15 is perforated to permit thecharge to pass out, and at its lower end it is provided with a suitablevalve, a ball-valve 15 being shown, which permits the ingress of airinto the receptacle to replace that drawn out.

In the use of heavy oils it may be desirable or necessary to heat them,and in order to accomplish this I make use of the constructionillustrated in Fig. 5, in which a channel 15 extends through themixing-chamber F and surrounds the receptacle l5, and-heat from asuitable burner 15 passes through the channel. In this construction thebottom of the receptacle is conical to prevent the oil from thereceptacle dripping through the valve into the ainpassage.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder,of a mixing-chamber communicatingtherewith, a receptacle within saidchamber provided at its upper end with openings and having aninwardly-opening valve at its lower end, and a supply-pipe leading tothe receptacle, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, of amixing-chamber communicating therewith, a receptacle within said chamberprovided with a conical bottom, and at its upper end with openings, avalve in the lower end of said receptacle, and a supplypipe leading tothe receptacle, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, of amixing-chamber communicating therewith, a receptacle within said chamberprovided at its upper end with openings and at its lower end with avalve, means for heating the receptacle, and a supply-pipe communicatingwith the receptacle, substantially as described.

at. In a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, of amixing-chamber communicating therewith, a receptacle within the saidchamber provided at its upper end with an opening and at its lower endwith a valve, a supply-pipe leading to the receptacle, and regulatingand inlet valves in the supplypipe, substantially as described.

5. I11 a gas-engine, the combination with the cylinder, of amixing-chamber, a supplypipe leading thereto, an inletvalve, a valverodconnected thereto and provided with a bearing, a reciprocating leverprovided with a bearing normally adapted to make contact with thebearing of the valve-rod to move said rod longitudinally upon theexhauststroke of the piston, means for reciprocating the lever, andmeans for automatically moving the rod laterally to carry its bearingout of the path of movement of the bearing upon the reciprocating lever,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CHARTER, J R.

\Vitnesscs:

JOHN CHARTER, S11, 0. A. MULLER.

